Take a moment to pause and celebrate, because you've completed a pretty power-packed course.

What I taught you

out here were learnings from successes, but equally from so many mistakes that I have committed, and those that
I've seen several colleagues and friends of mine commit. So, give yourselves a bit of a pat on the back. Let me quickly
recap all the ground that you've covered, and there’s a fair amount of it that you have.

1. One, you've learned the basic theory behind problem solving. Knowing the basic terms, understanding the
different types of problems and problem-solving situations that you are likely to encounter.

2. Two, you have understood the overall four-step approach to problem solving, which now you hopefully also
see as structured and methodical, and therefore easy to learn. You learned a whole host of new tools, a
sprinkling of them being smart, hypotheses, issue trees, messiness, 5 Whys, Ishikawa diagrams, 80:20, design
thinking, six thinking hats, prototyping, and storyboarding.

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 3. Three, we also explored some of the most common problem-solving methodologies, aids, or frameworks
used in business, consulting, and strategy. We also breezed through the frameworks that can be called upon
almost 90%-plus occasions.

4. Four, we oriented ourselves to the case interview. We saw the many archetypes of case interviews. We
heard the inside story on what interviewers are looking for. We learned the many do's and don'ts of
successful case interviews problem solving.

If you're gleaming with pride, I am too, because I do think you've done a heck of a job getting as far as you have now.
Now, you may ask, is that it? Well, not quite. Let's look at what's coming up next. Every journey of a thousand miles
begins with that first step. So too, is problem solving a long journey, where you keep learning, keep experimenting,
and keep mastering. And you've taken that proverbial first step. So, congratulations.

Your journey is likely to go through three phases:

o Competency, where you are today. This is where you gain a working knowledge of problem-solving as a
topic.
o Proficiency, your next stop. This is where you are, perhaps, on extremely solid footing. You've practiced
problem solving and seen yourself deliver solutions successfully, mostly.
o Mastery, your aspiration. This is where you intend to get to, as I am sure you will, where you have moved
from good to great.

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So, how do you establish competency? A few things I would suggest you do as you move through this.

A. First up, review the course content diligently. If you are comfortable with all the topics that we discussed,
practically most problem-solving situations you are likely to come across can be handled better than most
people would.

B. Second, clarify gaps in understanding. Seek me out, or any other practitioner out there. We are looking to
set up modules on this platform to collectively address areas that you may need further clarifications on.

C. Third, initiate application of learnings in daily problem-solving. There is no better way of learning. The next
time a challenge presents itself that requires deep thought, know that you are armed.

Next, how do you build proficiency? A few things I would suggest you do as you move to this.

1. First, if you are interested in how problem solving can be applied to business problems, or want to get a
stronger grip around the case interviews, do read case interview manuals like the Case in Point, or Victor
Cheng's resources.

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 2. Second, attend follow-on lectures. We plan to have several live modules with all of you on select topics to
further solidify your understanding. These will be put together at times that work best for everybody and on
topics you wish to speak about. You are welcome to join them.

3. Third, apply these learnings in problem-solving topics at your workplace. Your workplace abounds with
problems. Look to apply what you've learned here, and you will immediately see a marked improvement in
your ability to solve problems.

Finally, how do you get to mastery?

I. First, read some of the deeper recommended learning. For example, Problem Solving: The Owner's Manual.
These are the gold standard when it comes to theoretical problem-solving.

II. Second, attend focused master classes in specific topics of your interest. That is a good way to go deeper in
areas where you need to push your capabilities along.

III. Third, push on solving, or helping solve a diverse set of problems. Seek problems that are unstructured,
higher stakes, and unclear.

So, there you have it. I am sure this is going to be the start of a glorious and a very joyous phase of learning. I do
hope that you enjoyed the course, and I hope you found it enriching. I loved putting it all together. Do reach out
through upGrad, should you have feedback, or should you have further questions that you would like to engage me
on. Always happy to hear from you. See you around!

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